


An Ineffable Anniversary

by lilolilyrae



Series: An Ineffable Romance [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Anniversary, Don't copy to another site, Established Relationship, Europe, Fluff, Fluff and Angst and Smut, Fluff and Smut, Frivolous Miracles, Gay Sex, Germany, Gift Giving, M/M, Vacation, travelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 04:04:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20352097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilolilyrae/pseuds/lilolilyrae
Summary: Crowley and Aziraphale go on a vacation through europe, and afterwards, they celebrate their anniversary of having known each other for just about six thousand years.





	1. Chapter 1

_*some time after the almost-apocalypse*_  
  
  
  
"You would not really have left, would you?"  
  
"What?" Crowley looks up from the TV, where Gordon Ramsay is shouting at some unassuming human about the pork being inedible, using a variety of curse words- many of which Crowley invented or made popular, and even more where, while other humans had the idea before him, he had still claimed to be responsible. Now he turns down the sound and focuses on his boyfriend next to him. "Sorry, what wouldn't I have done?"  
  
"Leave earth, when you asked me to go with you- you would not indeed have left? Not even if I had joined you"  
  
"Of course I would've" Crowley raises an eyebrow. "Why the fuck wouldn't I have? The only thing that stopped me was your damn- disappearing deal."   
  
Crowley still doesn't like talking about the time he had thought his friend turned lover dead. Aziraphale gives him a knowing, soft smile before turning back to the topic at hand.   
  
"I just believe you would have missed humanity too much, I do say" he says, indicating the still running TV, as well as everything else surrounding them... Perhaps also the Bentley on the street, as well as all the humans Crowley enjoyed tempting or playing games with over the centuries. "You would not have left it all behind."   
  
Crowley makes a face. It's not like he hadn't thought about all of it, either, but the situation had seemed so desperate...  
  
"I would've, if everything had been a death sentence. I know you keep worrying about me being depressed and holy water and blah, but honestly I'm just way too afraid of dying to ever consider that."  
  
There, now Aziraphale made him spill his embarrassing feelings again. How does the angel do it?!  
  
Aziraphale's eyes go all soft.  
  
"I understand that, but... It wouldn't really be living, would it? All alone, no change, no people, no music- even worse than the way you described heaven to me once, remember? I don't think I could live like that... And not you, either."  
  
"You don't know if you don't try" Crowley says, shrugging and turning back to the TV. "I'll take the uncertain suicide over the certain death any day"  
  
Aziraphale turns back to the TV as well, and for a while they are sitting in silence, watching the colourful commercials. Crowley almost thinks Aziraphale let go of the topic when the angel speaks again.  
  
"And now? Would you still- would you still leave, if something happened again?"  
  
He's anxious, Crowley can tell.   
  
Softly, he touches Aziraphale's cheek, making the angel face him.  
  
"Not without you" he whispers. "Never without you. I've really got you, and I'm never letting go"  
  
There are tears in Aziraphale's eyes, and his smile is wobbly, but he doesn't look away. Crowley has always been a little jealous of the angel not being ashamed of showing emotions.  
  
Gently, he wipes the tear from Aziraphale's cheek, and the other leans in for a kiss- first slow, then heated, until Crowley has to break away and turn off the TV after accidentally sitting on it and turning it to a reality show.   
  
"I'm telling you, it was love at first sight!" they still hear one of the contestants proclaim before Crowley finds the right button. Aziraphale snickers. For them, it might not have been love at first sight, but then there are more important things than that.  
  
Jumping up from the couch, Crowley holds out his hand to Aziraphale, and the angel let's himself be lead into the bedroom.  
  
The door closes behind them, and soon they are lost in their own little world consisting solely of skin-on-skin and whispers of love.

As they are laying next to each other a few hours later, basking in occult and devine afterglow, Crowley looks at Aziraphale next to him, who is smiling at the ceiling. “’Ziraphale?” “Yes, my dear?” “I am never going to leave you, you know? But- maybe it is time for the both of us to leave the city for a while?”


	2. Chapter 2

_It is raining heavily in London, but for once, the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley couldn't care less. Why, do you ask? Oh, because they are not there. In fact, they are not even on the British isles._  
  
  
  
It has been a while since Aziraphale and Crowley have been on a vacation.  
  
Not that they ever really have been on one, ever- they simply did their good and evil deeds in other places, wherever heaven and hell sent them. Work trips, then.  
  
Post-almost-apocalypse, they don't have to stick to their initial sides that closely, mind you. Neither do they have to stick to the bigger cities most good and evil things take place. And while they both love the trouble of London, they wanted to get away from it all- so now, they went on a well-deserved holiday abroad.

Travelling through Europe is wonderful.

You might be surprised by the preferences of the two, or would have expected it to be the other way around:

Aziraphale loves all the cities, so many people that love so many things! And of course, he can stick his nose into a bookshop or a bakery here and there.

Crowley, for his part, prefers the scenery, forests and wide, open fields and not a soul- human or angel or demon- in sight, apart from the one angel he loves.

So, have you been surprised, or did you already expect it to be this way? Either way, it’s quite understandable once you think about it: Crowley is sick of the crowded spaces of hell, and he knows all the evil things humans are capable of doing, so he doesn’t connect them to many happy thoughts- except children perhaps. Aziraphale, on the other hand, had enough open spaces for a lifetime in the time he spent in heaven, no matter how long ago most of his stays there are. In addition to that, he feels the love humans feel for things, and no matter what else they might be thinking, there is always an undercurrent of that, too.

Right now, they are finishing their vacation with a compromise: a small town in Europe- Germany, perhaps? And by the side of a river. More important than the scenery, however, is the date- just a week short of the six thousandth anniversary of Crowley and Aziraphale meeting for the very first time. At least, by the way they- well, Crowley, with Aziraphale's begrudging agreement- had, in the 11th century, decided on an actual date for this anniversary. Until then, they hadn't had an anniversary date, as they had forgotten the amount of days that had passed on the wall of the garden, and calendars hadn't been invented yet then. Not knowing the actual date still irks Crowley to this day, but he makes do.  
  
  
  
They had never really bothered with gift-giving before, but through unspoken agreement, after the almost-apocalypse and getting closer afterwards, it needed to be celebrated in some way. And, the way it seemed, this would be the last opportunity for them to go gift-shopping.  
  
After parking the Bentley and walking over a bridge into the city centre, Aziraphale is immediately sidetracked by a little bookshop. Not one selling antiques like his own, but Aziraphale was always happy to acquire and read a new book- or five- after all, all antiques had been new at some point, as well, plus, reading books he already knows would certainly get a bit dull without some new inspiration in-between.  
  
  
  
  
  
Crowley waits in the sun outside the store, and he has enough space there as most pedestrians favor the shadow on the other side of the street. One man drops a coin from his purse, and Crowley is quick to glue it there before the next passerby can try to pick it up.  
  
It is much too warm for this time of year... Would be a pity, Crowley thinks, if humans managed to fuck up the planet all on their own. But then Aziraphale exits the store, book in hand, and all dark thoughts are forgotten.  
  
"Only one?" Crowley asks.  
  
"Oh why yes, dear, though it's the part of a series!" Aziraphale says excitedly, showing him the cover. "It's by a new author, I haven't read anything by him yet... I shall read this one and see whether I like the style... Hope there are still editions of the other parts left until then, I don't know whether they will be printed again..."  
Crowley decides then and there to buy the rest of the books as soon as he gets away from the angel for a minute, just in case the other does like the book. And if not, well, he always likes a good fire.  
  
"I still have some business to attend- would it be alright for you to meet up again for lunch, dear?" asks Aziraphale.  
  
"Business?" Crowley almost snorts. They don't have any business to attend to anymore, heaven, hell or otherwise, and he knows for a fact Aziraphale doesn't have any appointments concerning the bookshop. He lifts an eyebrow. Well, Aziraphale probably has similar gift-buying plans to his own, and the angel had never been particularly subtle.  
  
"Sure, angel, I'll meet you at the sushi place we passed by earlier?" Aziraphale had pointed the place out when they had been on the bus, and now beams brightly at Crowley for remembering. "Sure! Until then"

While Crowley makes a show of going away from the bookshop, only to return when the other is safely out of sight, Aziraphale hurries through the alleys, anxiously fidgeting with his hands.  
  
What does one get their demon partner and lifelong friend to such an anniversary, after millenia of never quite gift giving? And a demon without so much as one useful interest he could use as inspiration for a present!  
  
Not that Crowley hasn't got interests, he has his plants, his queen music, his fashion and his temptations. But Aziraphale doesn't know what to get him for either of those things! No matter how much of his gardening consists of shouting at greenery, Crowley is incredibly peculiar about his plants. Aziraphale would be terribly worried about getting him something wrong or useless, or accidentally offending the demon by getting him something he already has or doesn't need...  
  
When it comes to music, Crowley already owns every bit of Queen music ever written in his car as well as on vinyl in his flat, plus the demon of course loves to illegally download music. As for fashion- well, while Aziraphale can say that he thinks Crowley looks good in whatever, he does know that the demon prefers a certain kind of modern style that really suits him, while Aziraphale's own style evolution got stuck some time after the French Revolution.  
  
No, he can't get him anything for those.  
  
But what does Crowley need? Or, if he doesn't need anything, what would he like to get? Does he really not know the demon well enough after six thousand years to get him a present?   
  
_Oh, deary me_, Aziraphale thinks, _I'm afraid I am going to make a terrible impression here- I just hope Crowley won't take too much offence..._  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Crowley wanders into the bookstore and saunters over to the row of fiction with similar titles, picking up part two to seven and carrying them over to the cashier. At least he doesn't have to worry about Aziraphale seeing the full bags of books, he'll just miracle them into his flat in London once he's out of sight of any mortals. Although, honestly, from what he's heard from other havoc-wrecking demons over the years, humans are usually wiling to believe anything a trick of the eye, anyway.  
  
On his way through the store, a familiar bookcover catches his eye- where does he know it from? Oh, right, there are movie posters all over London. Smiling, Crowley picks up the- non-movie-cover- original version of the book for Aziraphale. Now he'll have something to talk about with the angel, even if he'll only see the film- or maybe Aziraphale will even be willing to go to the cinema with him for this one, once he's read the book.  
  
Outside, after making a quick stop in a dark alley to send the books to London, he walks over to the river, as he doesn't want to walk around and run into Aziraphale while the other is doing his secret purchases. He finds a spot in the sun to stretch and relax. Crowley would prefer his snake form to sunbathe, but Aziraphale has strict rules about 'not scaring off the tourists or locals alike' and all that, so he compensates by miracling the grass under him just a little bit softer, laying down and folding his hands under his head.   
  
Before he can doze off, he sees a familiar blonde head on the other shore- Aziraphale, and he doesn't seem all too happy. Crowley squints. Oh s- someone, poor angel is probably overthinking again. Well, once they meet up for lunch he'll just have to tell him that he loves him no matter what gifts he gets or doesn't get. Kitschiness ruining his image be damned.   
  
Shaking his head about the silly, adorable angel, Crowley lays back down into the grass, unnoticed by Aziraphale, and goes to sleep.

Aziraphale is getting desperate. What should he _get_? The nice lady in the clothing shop was utterly unhelpful, and the 'gift section' in the department store was way too kitschy for Crowley. Not that he wouldn't like it, probably, but he'd be terribly embarrassed about it, and that isn't the goal here. Aziraphale also saw a few snake-themed items here and there that made him chuckle, but he knows how self-conscious Crowley tends to be about his true form, and he doesn't want any I'll thoughts, however untrue, coming up on their anniversary.

So he's back at the beginning.

Peering into shop windows, Aziraphale starts considering items at random.

A warm blanket, perhaps? No, too boring, and Crowley could miracle himself one whenever he needs. A glitter bomb? Too much of a joke gift, although Crowley would probably appreciate it in general, so he’ll keep the thought for later. Sweets? No, Alright, now he’s thinking about what _he _wants again. Oh dear…

How come humanity came up with so many enticing little things, yet none of them seem fitting for a gift for Crowley?

For a minute, Aziraphale contemplates that perhaps looking amongst human items is the wrong way to go about it, but apart from a voucher for a miracle of whatever the demon needs- which he would do anyway if it were anything sensible, and for something not-sensible Crowley wouldn’t ask with the pressure of a voucher/promise over him- the only other thing that comes to his mind is offering the demon a feather of his wing. While undoubtedly romantic, Aziraphale can’t shake the feeling that that would somehow be too little and too much all at once.

And anyway, Crowley loves the human world, so it must be possible to find something for him here.

Walking through the alleys, Aziraphale finds himself back at the main road and close to the river.

_Oh well,_ he thinks, _I might as well take a stroll by the water to clear my mind._

At first, he keeps staring grumpily ahead, not really seeing the beauty around him as he is lost in his thoughts. But the sun is still shining, light reflecting on the water, and small clouds are dancing over the sky. Aziraphale shakes himself out of it and forces himself to look around- moping won’t help him, either, and it’s definitely doing nothing to clear his head. So he looks around, hears the birds chirp, feels the wind in the air…

Smiling, Aziraphale wanders along the side of the river, pausing to look around here and there and perhaps forgetting the time just a little. He only notices that he doesn't quite know where he is anymore when the path comes to an end- and is there no way but going back all the way how he came? No, there have been stairs up to another alley a while back, he'll try those If all else fails, at least there doesn’t appear to be anyone around to see if he miracles himself back into the hotel...

Laughter rings out from behind the corner, and three small children whiz past the alley on scooters, shrieking and giggling. Oh well, it appears he is still closer to civilization than he had thought- good thing he didn’t miracle himself anywhere.

Walking back into the city, Aziraphale finds himself surrounded by many little shops and stores, boutiques he would love to spend time in... But he still has to look for a present for Crowley, and only, what, half an hour time to do so! So, which store could be interesting for the demon-oh! 

One of the shops is called 'Lush', and Aziraphale remembers Anathema talking about how they have the most amazing bath-bombs. While Aziraphale doesn't quite understand the concept, he knows Crowley _loves_ hot baths, and he has the biggest bathtub Aziraphale has ever seen in his apartment. 

With lighter step, Aziraphale walks into the store, and goes looking for something the demon would enjoy.

*_back in London, exactly six thousand years (at least, by Crowley's math) after an angel and a demon met for the very first time on the wall of a garden_*

They are in Aziraphale's bookshop again, sitting on the couch together, turned towards each other, legs touching, both slightly tipsy on celebratory champagne.

Crowley has one elbow up on the backrest to be able to turn towards Aziraphale more fully, and he miracles a neatly and colourfully wrapped parcel out of seemingly nowhere- of course, it had really been in his flat the entire time.

"Here, angel, I think- *_hick_* think you gotta unwrap this now 'till I forget about- about-"

"Oh, Crowley! Thank you"

Blushing, Aziraphale sits up, forces himself to sober up a little, eyes crinkling and lips twitching in a soft smile as he accepts the gift. 

Sobering up as well, Crowley watches carefully for his reaction, hand coming up to sweep through his hair. It's just the one book now, the one with the movie, he'd thought a lot about whether or not to give him the others as well all at once, but when he'd asked yesterday the angel hadn't finished the first part yet, and while he had seemed to enjoy it so far, he doesn't want to presume.

Aziraphale's eyes, already shining happily since he noticed he is being gifted a book, light up brightly when he takes it out of the paper wrapping. 

"Oh thank you dearest! I haven't read that one yet!" he leans in and presses a soft kiss to Crowley's cheek, making the demon squirm just a little.

In truth, amongst the genuine joy of the gift, Aziraphale is just a tad- irrationally, he knows- disappointed... of course Crowley couldn't have _known_ that the local bookshop doesn't have the sequel to the one he just read and that he would love to have it...

Stroking over the hardcover of the book Crowley gave him, Aziraphale smiles. What does it matter what Crowley got or didn't get him? They're exchanging gifts, just like this, for the first time in six thousand years. This is worth everything.

Crowley's voice interrupts his thoughts. "I just thought- I've seen posters, there's gonna be a movie with the same story, we could go to the cinema together- or I'll just go and when you read the book, I'll know what you're talking about?"

Aziraphale's eyes nearly well up with tears. Oh, Crowley is so thoughtful! This is truly better than any material gift- the gift of time spent together.  
  
Beaming at him, Aziraphale cradles the book to his chest. "Oh, I'll read this immediately then, so we can go watch the film together!" and- softly, earnestly- "Thank you, Crowley."

After a moment in silence and a sip from the champagne, Aziraphale fiddles with the parcel he wrapped, by hand, in brown paper and string. It looks sad next to the colourful wrapping paper Crowley had used...

Fiddling with the gift, he starts handing it in Crowley's direction, but keeps his hold on it when Crowley moves to take it.

"I- I know this isn't much, I just thought- well, I didn't know what to get you at first- I mean I had some ideas, that's not it!" he looks up, terribly afraid of having offended Crowley, but the other just lifts an eyebrow and smirks at him, so he takes a breath and continues: "It just never _felt_ right... So..."

Rolling his eyes, Crowley snatches the parcel from the angel's hands. "Oh, silly angel, don't worry so much just let me have it- oh" he sniffs the air, takes the parcel closer to his nose, tilts his head.  
"Is that- lavender? What is that?"

"Well, you know how Anathema was talking about a thing called 'bath-bombs'-"  
Crowley's eyes light up...

"They are not actual bombs, don't get too excited!"

"I know what a bath-bomb is, angel" Crowley says, grinning.

Then he puts the gift aside and leans in to kiss him- Aziraphale means to meet him half way, but Crowley just leans in more until he's half no top of him, Aziraphale propping himself up on his elbows, breathing hard.

"Don't- don't you even want to unwrap your gift, Crowley?" he gasps out when they break apart. 

"Later, angel, later- right now, I'd much rather unwrap _you_."

Aziraphale giggles and lays down on the couch properly, pulling Crowley on top of him and kissing him soundly. 

Crowley gasps as he falls onto the angel, at the last second bringing up a hand to brace himself on the armrest, next to Aziraphale's head. 

"Angel..." he murmurs, and Aziraphale leans up again, swallowing the sound. 

The kissing turns into snogging turns into making out and rubbing their groins together while Aziraphale shamelessly moans into the kiss. That noise has Crowley break apart for air he doesn't actually need, head sinking to Aziraphale's shoulder. "Ngh, angel- you're killing me here"

Laughing softly, Aziraphale strokes over Crowley's hair and presses a kiss to his cheek. "Should we perhaps move this to the bedroom, dearest?"

Crowley shakes his head, his hair, having gotten a little longer again over the past few weeks, falling into his eyes. "I want you to have me right here, angel, right now- make love to me. Please."

Aziraphale has nothing he can reply to this but drawing Crowley in for another kiss, whispering "Of course" "Oh, darling..." and "my dearest Crowley, _always_-" in-between. He knows how much it must have taken Crowley to phrase it like that, knows how far the demon has come from his mentality of everything good being, well, wrong. 

With a snap of his fingers, the couch underneath them is softer and wider at least, and with another snap Aziraphale's own clothes are gone. Crowley however he undresses by hand, leaving soft kisses all over his body, stroking over his arms, his cheeks and his snake tattoo, the skaley snake-like skin on his back...

Crowley's eyes are closed, breath coming in shorts gasps already just from Aziraphale undressing him so sensually. He barely notices that he's completely naked, or when Aziraphale shifts their position to be sitting against the backrest, Crowley in his lap. His fingers trail over the other's skin, gliding from his chest backwards...

When a slick finger reaches his entrance, Crowley's eyes fly open, and he nods frantically at Aziraphale's questioning look. Then, Aziraphale's finger is breaching him, he can feel how even the lube is miraculously warm...

A light sting, he hasn't fingered himself since they last had sex and that was before they had returned to London- but it feels glorious, clenching down so tightly around one finger alone- Aziraphale moves, twists his finger inside of him, and Crowley leans forward, leaning his head onto Aziraphale's shoulder once again, completely giving himself up to the sensation. He feels the finger withdraw, then two returning, and then he is moving, fucking himself on the fingers on his own accord, gasping and whimpering as the angel is stroking his inner walls.

Two fingers become three, and after what feels simultaneously like a single moment and an eternity, Aziraphale murmurs: "Ready, dearest?" Crowley can only nod. 

Looking into Crowley's eyes, Aziraphale embraces his lover with his left arm while taking himself into his right hand to line himself up with Crowley's entrance. Crowley's breath hitches as he gets it right, a soft, beautiful sound, and then he is pushing into him, gasping as Crowley lowers himself deeper.

Their eyes never break contact, and Aziraphale feels a tear run over his cheek- whether because he is refusing to blink or because he is overcome by emotions, he cannot tell. Crowley is not looking much better- well, he is looking absolutely glorious, swollen red lips, messed up hair, tear streaks from his golden eyes over his cheeks and all.

It does feel different, somehow, to all the times they did this before.

Not fucking this time, no, they're _making love_.

Whether because Crowley suggested it so sweetly before, because of their anniversary, or because they keep getting closer, trusting each other more, and still got to know each other better also over the vacation of the last few weeks- maybe it's all of it combined- Aziraphale feels the love welling up in him, drawing him under, until everything he knows is Crowley, his love for him, and where their bodies join into one.

Afterwards, they lay entwined togther, breathing in unison, neither completely awake nor fully asleep.

Aziraphale is stroking over Crowley's side, feeling content with his existence in a way he doesn't think he ever felt since his creation.

He feels Crowley shivering under his touch and remembers that the serpent in him can't always deal with the cold very well.

"Come on, dearest, let's get you cleaned up and warm..."

Crowley grumbles first and burrows deeper into Aziraphale's warm body, then lifts his head and blinks at him as if he's just gotten an idea.

"Bathhh bomb" he half hisses, smirking.

"Sorry?"

"Your gift- come on, let'ss go..." grabbing the Lush parcel from the floor, he holds onto Aziraphale and miracles them both directly into his bathroom. Aziraphale laughs. "Oh, Crowley..." 

Grinning, the demon bends down to let hot water into the tub, then sitting into it immediately, groaning in pleasure as his sore arse hits the floor, taking a purple bathbomb out of the package and holding it into the water, grinning stupidly as it starts bubbling, purple and lilac streams colouring the water.

Aziraphale just shakes his head at him and miracles himself a little cleaner first before joining the other in the bath. 

Crowley really is like a serpent sometimes, snuggling into the warm tub with a blissed-out look on his face. He even miracled the black porcelain to be soft to the touch and warm, Aziraphale notices as he sits down himself.

While the tub is large, it is not enough so for two grown men (or man-shaped beings) to stretch their legs opposite each other without touching, and Aziraphale doesn't want to disturb Crowley in his bliss, so he hugs his knees to his chest and smiles at the demon, watching the water turn darker shades of purple around him. 

When Crowley notices that Aziraphale still isn't there, however, he opens one eye from where he is enjoying the stream of hot water hitting his skin.

"You coming here anytime soon, angel?"

Aziraphale awkwardly skitters closer, but Crowley just holds the bathbomb out of the way, spreads his legs and beckons Aziraphale to sit between them, hugging him to his front. He softly noses at Aziraphale’s hair and neck, revelling in the closeness and smell of his angel, and presses a kiss to his neck before settling back into the water and rolling the rest of the bath bomb to lay at their feet. Smiling, Aziraphale sinks into the heat with him, content to do nothing more but snuggling with Crowley for a while. 

After a while, Aziraphale feels Crowley’s breath getting more even, and the demon drifts off to sleep. Smiling, Aziraphale carefully extracts one of his arms from the demon’s embrace so as not to disturb his sleep, and he miracles the arm dry before bringing the book Crowley got him into his hand. Snuggling closer to Crowley, he starts to read, pages miraculously staying dry.

A few minutes later, Crowley blinks awake, hugging Aziraphale more closely to him and noticing that the other is reading a book. Of course… the angel can’t even relax in the bath with him. Fondly shaking his head, he presses a kiss to Aziraphale’s neck before leaning his chin on the angel’s shoulder and peering at the page in front of him. Ah- it’s the one he bought for him.

“Say, the one you read yesterday, you're not interrupting that one just to read this and go to the cinema with me? It hasn’t even started playing yet, there’s no rush, angel…” he asks, chest rumbling in Aziraphale’s back.

Blinking and looking up from the page, Aziraphale turns to smile at him. “Oh, no, I finished that yesterday!”

“And, um, did you like it?”

“Yes, why?” Aziraphale tries not to think about how he has maybe passed up the chance of owning first editions of all parts of the series, he doesn't want to think any sad thoughts now...

“I might have the next book for you,” Crowley interrupts his thoughts.

“Oh really?” Aziraphale asks, a little perplex. Did he say any of what he thought out loud? He doesn’t think so…

“Well... Yes... And the other parts as well... Bought them when I got you that one as well”

“Oh, _Crowley_!” Beaming, Aziraphale turns around and presses a big smooch to his lips before turning back around and snuggling against the demon's chest.

“What was that for?” Crowley asks, blushing lightly.

“Oh, just you being you, my dearest” Aziraphale says softly.

Crowley smiles. “Will you read to me, angel?”

“Of course” Aziraphale beams. “From the beginning?”

“Eh, just wherever you’re at, I’ll get the rest of the story in the movies, and you know me, I’ll probably fall asleep again soon anyway…”

Smiling fondly, he picks up the book again and starts reading, voice soothing Crowley back to sleep.

The next time Crowley wakes up, it’s to the feeling of Aziraphale’s hands in his hair.

Sighing softly, he relaxes into the touch, letting the angel pet him, hands moving over him at a steadfast, relaxing pace, making him doze off again, utterly content.

They must have swapped places while he was asleep, he notices once he comes to more fully, as he is now settled against Aziraphale’s chest, half laying on top of him and submerged to the neck in water that- miraculously so- stayed warm.

Turning his head, Crowley presses a kiss to Aziraphale’s chest and snuggles impossibly closer, rubbing his cheek against the angel’s fuzzy light chest hair.

“Awake, my dear?” Aziraphale asks softly, carding his fingers through his hair again before moving his arm out of the way to allow Crowley to settle himself a little more upright. “Mhmmm” he hums, not bothering to reply in actual words, knowing the angel won’t mind and understand the sentiment well enough.

Aziraphale’s hands move over his shoulders and back, starting to massage him, and Crowley thinks he might actually purr, even if that’s more of a feline trait than anything he could explain away by being part snake. He’s not even embarrassed about feeling so mushy, not with Aziraphale.

Letting his head sink forward, Crowley closes his eyes again as Aziraphale’s fingers work their magic, leaving him completely relaxed. If it were up to him, they could stay like this for all eternity, not bothered by the outside world at all.

After a while, Aziraphale’s hands reach his neck again and still.

“Would you- would it be quite alright with you if I washed you, my dear?” Aziraphale asks, sounding cautious.

Crowley turns his head and blinks at him, a little confused by the request. After all, they can miracle themselves completely clean whenever they want to, he knows Aziraphale did so before getting into the water, and the only reason he himself didn’t was because he was too lazy and knew he could just miracle the dirt away together with the water after getting out of the bath in one go.

Aziraphale’s cheeks are covered by a blush.

“I heard- well, read- that it is something human couples sometimes enjoy, it is supposed to be… intimate.”

Crowley smiles at that. Of course, his angel would jump onto such an idea. And, well, he is definitely not going to say no to the prospect of Aziraphale touching him, ever.

After Crowley nods, Aziraphale takes a piece of glittery green soap bar out of the Lush bag on the floor and sets to work, gently spreading the soap over Crowley’s upper body.

Crowley has to agree with him- it does feel weirdly intimate, letting another person clean him, even if it is just his humanlike form. He relaxes into it, letting Aziraphale touch him all over, feeling taken care of and clean in a way that has nothing to do with soap at all.

“Can I…? Aziraphale asks, fingers half in his hair, and Crowley just nods. It feels differently now than the gentle petting from earlier, now Aziraphale’s fingers are moving through Crowley’s hair with purpose, massaging soap into his hair and scalp, pressing deliciously into his forehead and neck, and when Crowley thought he couldn’t possibly get any more relaxed, he was wrong. When Aziraphale finishes, he has trouble staying upright, his muscles feeling like goo.

“I think you are quite clean enough now, my dear” Aziraphale mumbles into his neck. “What do you say, rinse off and go to bed?”

Crowley nods and closes his eyes, and Aziraphale takes the showerhead in hand, letting perfectly warm water flood over his head and upper body. Then he beckons him to stand up, as his legs are still hidden in purple bathwater, and when Crowley moves to his knees to stands up and rinse off, Aziraphale presses a kiss to his back before following suit.

After drying off, Crowley drags the angel to bed, and they sleep together, wrapped up in warm blankets and each other.


	3. Epilogue

_* A few days or perhaps weeks later *_

Aziraphale looks up from his book when he notices Crowley waking up, slowly starting to move on the couch. "Is this film still being played in the cinema?"

"Huh?" Crowley blinks owlishly at Aziraphale, still half asleep from the afternoon nap.

Aziraphale holds up the book he had been reading: "I nearly finished the book you gave me for our anniversary."

Ah, yeah. Crowley knows this- after all, to Crowley's delight, Aziraphale has read out loud for them more often than not, with Crowley snuggled up to him on the couch or wrapped around his neck in their snake form. 

"Uh, yeah, do think so- I was gonna go watch it once you were done with it so we could talk about it, I think I slept through half the plot- no offense, angel..."

"None taken, darling, I am honored that you feel safe enough with me to fall asleep so easily." Aziraphale smiles at him, bright and beaming and loving...

Crowley squirms at the sudden change of topic to _feelings_ and hides his eyes behind a curtain of red hair.

"Well, you've got a very soothing voice." he wanted to add 'that's all', but somehow couldn't bring himself to lie.

Aziraphale gives him a knowing smile.

"Well, would you perhaps be amicable to us going to the cinema together? I haven't been since the 1880s!"

Crowley tries not to show how much he hoped for the angel to say this. "Course! I mean, you sure, angel? You don't have to go just because I want to..."

"Don't be silly, Crowley, you are surrounded by my books and stuffy old things every day, it's time for a change of pace! You do realise I, well, care about the things you care about, don't you, dearest?" 

Crowley makes a face. "Yup. Sure. Ngk. Okay. Imma go and find out when they're showing it"

And he's off the couch and out of the door.

Aziraphale doesn't comment on the fact that even he knows Crowley could have just as easily looked up the viewing times on his phone without having to move an inch.

Later that day, Crowley saunters back into the shop, trying to seem nonchalant but Aziraphale knows him well enough to notice that the demon is still anxious.

"So, that film we've been talking about, they're showing it at six and at ten pm tonight... Thought we could go to the later show, eat out first? At the Ritz, as always..." _So as to not disturb your routine any more than necessary_, stays unsaid.

"Oh, I heard they serve food at the cinema as well! We could share a box of popped corn!"

Crowley stares at him, completely flabbergasted. "Popped corn? It's popcorn, angel, popcorn!" he shakes his head, exasperated, throws an arm over Aziraphale's shoulder and drags him along. "_Popped corn..._" he mutters under his breath. 

Aziraphale just smiles. He knows exactly what to do to get Crowley to stop worrying. 

In the cinema, Crowley gets them their tickets, popcorn and sodas, and also nachos and gummies and a few other sweets because Crowley wants Aziraphale to have the full experiencea. they sit in the back row of the cinema, hands touching over the bag of sweets between them.

The adverts play, and Aziraphale looks fascinated at all the effort put into these marketing strategies.

"Your bookshop isn't stuffy. Old, maybe, but more like vintage. Whatever." Crowley says suddenly. 

It takes Aziraphale a second until he remembers their earlier conversation. 

"Oh, Crowley..." 

He presses a kiss to the demon's neck. 

"I'm glad you think so. Very sweet of you, really."

Crowley blushes, and Aziraphale lifts up the sweets onto his lap so he can snuggle closer to Crowley. The demon throws his arm over Aziraphale's shoulder, keeping him close. "Ngk, just watch the movie."

"I do believe I will, but it hasn't even started yet, my darling..."

"Ngk" Crowley shakes his head and buries his face in Aziraphale’s hair. "Whatever."

Aziraphale stifles a laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked it, let me know, comments make me very happy :)
> 
> If you want to continue reading about their now established relationship, this neatly goes over in[ part 18](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19725166) of by now 39 parts of the 666 words series :)


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